Arafat's Suicide Factory

Why blame Arafat for the suicide bombings?

December 9, 2001 -- In declaring his own war on terrorism last week, Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon made a surprising claim. He said that Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian leader, "is responsible for everything that is happening here," a reference to the onslaught of four suicide operations that had just left 26 Israelis dead and some 200 wounded.

To which one might reasonably ask: Why blame Arafat?

No one blames President Bush for the catastrophe on Sept. 11 or other politicians for the terrorism that occurs on their watch. Why should it be different with Arafat? Isn't Sharon unfair?

Let's look at the evidence.

Every inquiry into Palestinian suicide attacks, and especially Nasra Hassan's remarkable report in a recent issue of The New Yorker, finds that these do not just happen spontaneously but result from a large and sophisticated infrastructure.

This infrastructure exists for one reason: to make normal men want to die. Because Islamic law prohibits suicide, a suicidal person cannot be recruited to go on a mission. Rather, it is (perversely) necessary to dispatch only those who are not suicidal.

Islamic Jihad, which along with Hamas trains the suicide killers, explains: "We do not take depressed people. If there were a one-in-a-thousand chance that a person was suicidal, we would not allow him to martyr himself. In order to be a martyr bomber, you have to want to live." The same strange logic applies for Hamas, which rejects anyone "who commits suicide because he hates the world."

Convincing healthy individuals to blow themselves up is obviously not easy, but requires ideas and institutions.

Convincing healthy individuals to blow themselves up is obviously not easy, but requires ideas and institutions. The process begins with the Palestinian Authority (PA) inculcating two things into its population, starting with the children: a hatred of Jews and a love of death. School curricula, camp activities, TV programming and religious indoctrination all portray Israelis in a Nazi-style way, as sub-human being worthy of killing; and then deprecate the instinct for self-preservation, telling impressionable young people that sacrificing their lives is the most noble of all goals.

The system works: Hassan reports that "hordes of young men" clamor to be sent to their own obliteration. Hamas and Islamic Jihad have established a process of selection based in the mosques, where "a notably zealous youth" ready for martyrdom gets noted by clerics who recommend him for selection.

Those who make the cut enter a protracted, highly supervised, and disciplined regimen of spiritual studies and military-like training. These adepts are taught to see suicide operations as a way to "open the door to Paradise" for themselves and their families. "I love martyrdom" says one such "living martyr."

Just before setting off on an attack, the men engage in exquisitely pious preparations (ablutions, clean clothing, a communal prayer service). Their deaths are celebrated by Hamas or Islamic Jihad by orchestrating a festive funeral celebration ("as if it were a wedding," Hassan observes) and distributing video cassettes with a statement from beyond the grave. The sponsoring organizations then make sure that the family receives both social kudos and financial rewards.

These facts tell us three things: Militant Islamic suicide killers are not born; they are manufactured. Like the four simultaneous suicide hijackings on Sept. 11, the four nearly simultaneous suicide attacks in Israel last week resulted from long-term planning by sophisticated organizations. They cannot operate clandestinely, but require the permission of a ruling authority, either the Taliban or the PA.

All of which leads to the conclusion that Sharon was right to hold Arafat responsible for the onslaught of suicide attacks on Israelis.

This, in turn, has an implication for the war on terrorism. No less than in Afghanistan, the American goal must be to shut down the suicide factory in the Palestinian areas.

And while it would be wonderfully convenient if Yasir Arafat could be delegated this task, the chances of his doing this are about as likely as the Taliban getting rid of Al-Qaeda - in other words, nil. Arafat has been in the business of murdering Israelis for nearly four decades; he does not deserve yet another chance.

Fortunately, unlike other parts of the world where Americans have to fight terrorism on their own, in this case an ally - Israel - is ready and willing to fight terrorism on its own. The time has come to urge it to do just that.

Visitor Comments: 9

I read this before in another news paper I cannot believed just had read how it can happen to next door neighbor, may Hashem help Israel
Shalom

(6)
A. Levin,
December 18, 2001 12:00 AM

Thank you for your commendable assessment of the situation in Israel. This should serve as a good refutation for those who claim that these constant murderous attacks are made by "lunatic extremists" on the palestinian side, and do not really reflect the palestinian mindset or mentality as a whole.
Yishar Coach!

(5)
Anonymous,
December 18, 2001 12:00 AM

MIDDLE EAST

I have read your articles, now I could care less about religion-Jewish, Muslim or Christian. However, I am a former Marine and an American. However, to say America should stop the Palestinians is wrong, that is Isreals problem not ours. I am sick of you guys using Americans for yur wars, you take our money and we train your soldiers. We would kick Isreals ass in a war-I am not anti-semtic-so please do not pull that. We have enough problems in this country with gangs etc--you take care of Isreeal and let us take care of the US. When I joined the Marine Corps-I did not swear allegiance-nor would I break a nail to help Isreal, Plaestine or France or anyother country for that matter. I am Irish-if I was goping to die for a foreigh country it is not Isreal, so fight your own battles and quit crying, you people cry and pull that Holocaust stuff on us all the time. I am half american indian-we also suffered a holocaust and still are, you are in our land. Hence, deal with it yourself and quit asking Americans to give their lives for Isreal--we don't owe you---in fact you owe us(you sunk the USS Liberty) and do not tell me about that-because my next door neighbor is a survivior. Hence, I am not anit-anybody, but help yourselves and we will help ourselves. Although Isreal would not be crap without the US.

Irene,
February 24, 2014 2:12 PM

Yes to Americans taking care of themselves

What a wonderful conclusion it would be if America could clean up in it's own backyard. And NOT send any People to Israel to try to force them to solve their problem "the american way". Israel is fully capable of taking care of themselves, after all - the Allmighty is on their side. Also, if America would just stop trying to interfere With Israel, and stop trying to force her doing something the Allmighty has instructed her to not do - like giving away any of her land, the inheritance that the Allmighty has given to Israel alone, then America would most likely also get much less trouble for herself. Surely a wise America, who also helped and blessed Israel after biblical guidelines would be good - mostly for America herself, but... just stopping to do the bad Things will also give an improvement.

(4)
Milton Evans,
December 17, 2001 12:00 AM

Excellent article

Good assesment of the situation. Arafat is the head thug and murderer.

(3)
Charles Johnston,
December 15, 2001 12:00 AM

Excellent insight into the minds of suicide bombers

This insight into what makes a suicide bomber "tick" is really eye opening.

If people throughout the world could understand it this way, I am sure there would be far less condemnation of Israel's military actions against the PA.

C.M. Johnston Chula Vista, CA

(2)
Anonymous,
December 14, 2001 12:00 AM

Fight against terrorism must include PA and Arafat.

Israel is an ally of the United States. They have fighting terrorism for decades. Our war on terrorism should include Israel's neghbors namely the PA!

(1)
Tzippora Bynon,
December 13, 2001 12:00 AM

Children are precious

I will not understand how a woman, after carrying a supposedly wanted child 9 months in her womb and then going through the labor and near death to give birth to piece of herself, and her, supposed loved spouse, can sell their children to be human bombs. Do they hate their children? I have studied and tried to apply any and all modern cultures to this mentality and cannot find this in the scope of my being.

I do not think Arafat can stop this nightmare; I believe he created it by telling his people to do these despicable acts and through years of incitement towards hatred of Jews. He is not the only one to teach these things either; much of the PA and many other terrorist groups are responsible as well, but Arafat did agree to establish peace; the Israeli's kept their end of the bargain, at least until it was all to obvious that Arafat did not have any intention of keeping his. The world even awarded him one of its highest prizes for peace.

Can one imagine the difficulty of Rabin to agree to peace with Arafat and to shake his hand after all the terrorist acts the PA leader lead and was responsible for? After his depression just before the 1967 war and the ensueing battle for the next 6 days? Then we give them back the temple mount after the war? All are suppose to have access to the holy sites in this very holy land to all peoples? Do we have access to the Temple Mount? No

I really believe this all comes from gross unfounded hatred...We Jews know about unfounded hatred; much modern thought says we lost our two temples because of it. How can the Palestinian Arabs sit at our most Holy site and teach hatred and keep their temple standing. Is not G-d suppose to bring love and peace? It is one thing to be angry, but it quite another to hate a people so much that you would jepordize their own children's future just to destroy a another people.

Rabin said after siging the Oslo peace deal to never let the blood again start to flow; the Torah said never to make a treaty with these people...at least the way I read it...but peace is a goal worth trying for, so we did it; we signed a treaty in good faith. I really think that faith has been sadly broken beyond repair.

I live in rural Montana where the Cholov Yisrael milk is difficult to obtain and very expensive. So I drink regular milk. What is your view on this?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Jewish law requires that there be rabbinic supervision during the milking process to ensure that the milk comes from a kosher animal. In the United States, many people rely on the Department of Agriculture's regulations and controls as sufficiently stringent to fulfill the rabbinic requirement for supervision.

Most of the major Kashrut organizations in the United States rely on this as well. You will therefore find many kosher products in America certified with a 'D' next to the kosher symbol. Such products – unless otherwise specified on the label – are not Cholov Yisrael and are assumed kosher based on the DOA's guarantee.

There are many, however, do not rely on this, and will eat only dairy products that are designated as Cholov Yisrael (literally, "Jewish milk"). This is particularly true in large Jewish communities, where Cholov Yisrael is widely available.

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein wrote that under limited conditions, such as an institution which consumes a lot of milk and Cholov Yisrael is generally unavailable or especially expensive, American milk is acceptable, as the government supervision is adequate to prevent non-kosher ingredients from being added.

It should be added that the above only applies to milk itself, which is marketed as pure cow's milk. All other dairy products, such as cheeses and butter, may contain non-kosher ingredients and always require kosher certification. In addition, Rabbi Feinstein's ruling applies only in the United States, where government regulations are considered reliable. In other parts of the world, including Europe, Cholov Yisrael is a requirement.

There are additional esoteric reasons for being stringent regarding Cholov Yisrael, and because of this it is generally advisable to consume only Cholov Yisroel dairy foods.

In 1889, 800 Jews arrived in Buenos Aires, marking the birth of the modern Jewish community in Argentina. These immigrants were fleeing poverty and pogroms in Russia, and moved to Argentina because of its open door policy of immigration. By 1920, more than 150,000 Jews were living in Argentina. Juan Peron's rise to power in 1946 was an ominous sign, as he was a Nazi sympathizer with fascist leanings. Peron halted Jewish immigration to Argentina, introduced mandatory Catholic religious instruction in public schools, and allowed Argentina to become a haven for fleeing Nazis. (In 1960, Israeli agents abducted Adolf Eichmann from a Buenos Aires suburb.) Today, Argentina has the largest Jewish community in Latin America with 250,000, though terror attacks have prompted many young people to emigrate. In 1992, the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires was bombed, killing 32 people. In 1994, the Jewish community headquarters in Buenos Aires was bombed, killing 85 people. The perpetrators have never been apprehended.

Be aware of what situations and behaviors give you pleasure. When you feel excessively sad and cannot change your attitude, make a conscious effort to take some action that might alleviate your sadness.

If you anticipate feeling sad, prepare a list of things that might make you feel better. It could be talking to a specific enthusiastic individual, running, taking a walk in a quiet area, looking at pictures of family, listening to music, or reading inspiring words.

While our attitude is a major factor in sadness, lack of positive external situations and events play an important role in how we feel.

[If a criminal has been executed by hanging] his body may not remain suspended overnight ... because it is an insult to God (Deuteronomy 21:23).

Rashi explains that since man was created in the image of God, anything that disparages man is disparaging God as well.

Chilul Hashem, bringing disgrace to the Divine Name, is one of the greatest sins in the Torah. The opposite of chilul Hashem is kiddush Hashem, sanctifying the Divine Name. While this topic has several dimensions to it, there is a living kiddush Hashem which occurs when a Jew behaves in a manner that merits the respect and admiration of other people, who thereby respect the Torah of Israel.

What is chilul Hashem? One Talmudic author stated, "It is when I buy meat from the butcher and delay paying him" (Yoma 86a). To cause someone to say that a Torah scholar is anything less than scrupulous in meeting his obligations is to cause people to lose respect for the Torah.

Suppose someone offers us a business deal of questionable legality. Is the personal gain worth the possible dishonor that we bring not only upon ourselves, but on our nation? If our personal reputation is ours to handle in whatever way we please, shouldn't we handle the reputation of our nation and the God we represent with maximum care?

Jews have given so much, even their lives, for kiddush Hashem. Can we not forego a few dollars to avoid chilul Hashem?

Today I shall...

be scrupulous in all my transactions and relationships to avoid the possibility of bringing dishonor to my God and people.

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